Head in a bag exposes Perth's underbelly

Date: January 17 2013

Tim Clarke

As police search for the killer of a man whose head was found in a bag on Rottnest Island, one of Western Australia's most prominent lawyers says the murder of Stephen Cookson was the Perth underworld's "coming of age".

Major Crime detectives on Wednesday night arrested, questioned and released a man in relation to the death of Cookson, after a forensic team descended on a property near Mandurah in the continuing search for the rest of the body of the self-styled "equine consultant".

Police were at properties in Golden Bay, 60km south of Perth, in large numbers, with officers observed probing the ground with long rods.

The nearby Silver Sands beach was also being searched, after a member of the public reported what could be human flesh on the beach.

The object was being tested to confirm whether it was human or marine.

As the investigations continued, Tom Percy QC, who represented Cookson some years ago, said he remembered the convicted drug trafficker as a "charming, well spoken, articulate fellow".

Cookson was heavily involved in the drug industry, Mr Percy said.

"It just shows there is a drug underworld in Perth, there are some very nasty people here.

"It is not idle threats. You cross some of these people, you end up dead in a bag on the other side of Rottnest. That is quite terrifying.

"With the way drug laws are in WA it is coming to that. It is because we have the toughest drug laws in Australia and that makes drugs extremely precious.

"We have descended down to the underbelly that they have in Melbourne - we have come of age."

The remains of Cookson, 56, were discovered on the island by an 11-year-old girl earlier this month, who was beachcombing with her family at Porpoise Bay on the southeast of the island.

A long-time member of the seamier side of the racing industry in Victoria and WA, Cookson was convicted in WA in 2000 on one count of possessing a quantity of heroin with intent to sell or supply.

He unsuccessfully appealed that conviction all the way to the High Court.

In 2005, Cookson was fined $5000 for improper conduct by WA racing authorities, for assaulting a former horse owner, Peter Graham, breaking his nose.

Cookson had been due to appear in WA's District Court on Friday on a charge of possession of methylamphetamine with intent to sell or supply.

Mr Percy said one theory being postulated was that the discovery of Cookson's head on a beach was no mistake.

"Some of the thinking in the legal profession is that the people who disposed of that body wanted the head to turn up as a message to everyone - don't mess with us," Mr Percy told Fairfax radio.

"They wanted it to be found and they wanted it to be identified."

Police later confirmed that Major Crime Squad detectives were speaking with two men who are "assisting with their inquiries".

No charges have yet been laid.

"The investigation is ongoing and detectives request that anyone with information contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000," a WA police spokesperson said.

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